Focus on MacbethJohn Russell Brown First published in 1982. Macbeth exercises a strange influence over readers and theatre audiences: the words of the text offer no easy clue to meaning or significance and in dramatic structure the play is very different from other Shakespearean tragedies. Many kinds of study are needed in order to understand the tragedy of Macbeth and this book provides a wide range of studies that respect the individuality of the text and examine it from different viewpoints. Contents include: Themes and Structure; Characterization and Narrative, Visual Effects, Performance in the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries; Historical and Political Background; Role of Witchcraft; Game Theory. Contributors include: John Russell Brown, Derek Russell Davis, Gareth Lloyd Evans, R A Foakes, Michael Goldman, Robin Grove, Peter Hall, Michael Hawkins, Brian Morris, D J Palmer, Marvin Rosenberg and Peter Stallybrass. |
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Page 1
... human experience . At times the language is dark and forbidding , but it can also grip the very nerves of actors and silent readers . Many kinds of study are needed if we are to understand The Tragedy of Macbeth as well as possible ...
... human experience . At times the language is dark and forbidding , but it can also grip the very nerves of actors and silent readers . Many kinds of study are needed if we are to understand The Tragedy of Macbeth as well as possible ...
Page 7
... human life , or overreaching themselves and illustrating the retri- bution visited upon the proud and sinful . It was natural for Shakespeare to explore the possibilities for tragedy of sad stories of the death of kings : How some have ...
... human life , or overreaching themselves and illustrating the retri- bution visited upon the proud and sinful . It was natural for Shakespeare to explore the possibilities for tragedy of sad stories of the death of kings : How some have ...
Page 16
... human action ; at what point should daring stop ? Daring is what Macbeth is known for , as ' valour's minion ' ( I.ii.19 ) , and Lady Macbeth effectually prompts him in terms that remind him of this ; she displaces his brooding on the ...
... human action ; at what point should daring stop ? Daring is what Macbeth is known for , as ' valour's minion ' ( I.ii.19 ) , and Lady Macbeth effectually prompts him in terms that remind him of this ; she displaces his brooding on the ...
Page 30
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Page 33
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Contents
7 | |
The kingdom the power and the glory | 30 |
visual effects in Macbeth | 54 |
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the eighteenth | 73 |
194680 at StratforduponAvon | 87 |
Multiplying villainies of nature | 113 |
History politics and Macbeth | 155 |
Macbeth and witchcraft | 189 |
Hurt minds | 210 |
Directing Macbeth | 231 |
Afterword | 249 |
Index | 255 |
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Common terms and phrases
action actor ambiguity ambition appearance attempt audience Banquo becomes begins beliefs blood bring called Cawdor character comes course critics crown dagger death deed doubt drama Duncan effect Elizabethan England English evil experience expression face fact fear feel final further ghost given gives going hand head Holinshed horror human husband ideas imagination important interest issue James killing kind king Lady Macbeth later less lines living look Macduff Malcolm means mind moral movement murder nature never opening particular performance perhaps play political present production question reality relation role royal scene seems seen sense Shake Shakespeare significant society soliloquy speak speech stage success suggestion Thane theatre thing thou thought tragedy turn visual wife witchcraft witches woman women